Claude George Lacy passed away peacefully at his home on September 29, 2013. He was born on February 15, 1931 in Dighton KS, the second child of Earl and Garnette Lacy.

Claude spent his early childhood traveling around the mid-west with the carnival, as his father was a professional wrestler.

They traveled and lived out of a small, beat-up trailer that they pulled with their Diana Eight.

Claude and his older brother, Earl, would box each other to warm up the carnival crowd before their father took to the ring.

In Palisade, CO, Claude entered high school and began to learn the craft of amateur wrestling. He picked up well on the sport, and by the time he was finished with high school, he was a three-time state champion.

In 1948 he won the District 13 Olympic Wrestling Tryouts in Fort Collins, CO. This guaranteed him a spot at the national tryouts in Ames, IA to make the Olympic team that would compete in London later that summer. Money was tight, so he decided not to go.

Not only did he wrestle, but he was also a starter on the basketball team and was a third-team all state football player, playing right-end.

In Claude’s final years of high school, the family moved to Wellington, UT. During this period he met and married Thelma Mae Nelson. While living in Carbon County, their three sons Mike, Steve and Dave were born.

In 1959, Claude applied and was hired by the Utah Highway Patrol. The job located the young family to Blanding, UT. This was the beginning of a long career in law enforcement.

Claude adapted well to Blanding, where the people came to respect him. In Blanding, their fourth child, Jim, was born.

After a full career of 27 years with the highway patrol, including two years as a Sergeant in Moab, Claude was elected county Sheriff. During two terms, he saw the completion of a new public safety building in Monticello, which was begun by Rigby Wright.

His wife’s declining health influenced his decision to retire in 1994. As she became worse with Alzheimers, he continued to care for her as long as he could even at the neglect of his own health.

When he reluctantly placed her in a longterm care facility he continued to visit her two or three times a day. Thelma passed away in 2007.

Claude suffered from diabetes, along with several broken bones. Many times we thought it was his time to go, but he rebounded to show the physical toughness he had since a kid.

Even in his weakened condition, he was always genuinely concerned with how everyone else was doing. Claude enjoyed his great-grandchildren. He remembered their names well and always handed out one-dollar bills.

Claude is preceeded in death by his parents, brother Earl, sister Mert, son Jim, and great-granddaughter Brittany.

Card of thanksThe family of Claude Lacy thanks all those who have shown kindness through word and deed. We appreciate so much the professional staff at Blue Mountain Dialysis, who became his good friends. We also thank the staff at the Four Corners Care Center, who are true “caregivers” in times of need. To all the doctors, physical and occupational therapists, and medical personnel who have made Claude’s life a little easier through the past few years, thank you so much.

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